What If
by musicluver11
Summary: What If... Katniss had told Peeta that she loved him on their way home from the first Hunger Games? How would things be different? What would happen?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. Please let me know what you think of it. I OWN NOTHING except for what is different from the book which are my thoughts and ideas.**

**CHAPTER 1**

"Look Peeta,"

I said while we were walking near the track while the train was refueling. We were on our way home to District 12 after the Hunger Games, where we both survived. This made the Capitol, who runs our country of Panem, very unhappy.

"I don't know about you, but I wasn't faking my feelings for you, sure it started out that way, but that first night in the cave, I didn't want cameras and all of Panem to be watching us, because it was very real, what I felt for you. And if.."

I don't get to finish because his lips crash down on mine. This is our first kiss with no cameras following us around everywhere we go. We pull away when air becomes necessary.

He rests his forehead against mine and smiles at me. I return the smile, but then I'm startled by a hand touching my back. It's Haymitch.

" Nice job with the lover act out there sweetheart." And with that he walks away.

Peeta gives me a confused look and I explain everything to him about the Capitol being unhappy about the berry trick that we pulled back in the arena so that we could both live and make it home alive.

We make our way back to the train and eat dinner with Effie and Haymitch.

I am just finishing getting ready for bed when I hear a knock on my door. I'm expecting Effie, but when I open it, there stands Peeta.

I let him in and we sit down on my bed when he speaks up.

"Was what you said earlier today true?"

"Yes Peeta, I love you , just like you love me." He was always telling me how much he loved me, but until earlier today, I was never really able to say it back and mean it. Now I did.

"And what about Gale?" Gale is my best friend in District 12, we've been hunting partners and friends since both of our fathers were killed in a mining accident.

"Gale and I are to similar, and he's no you. You were there for me all of those nights, you kept me alive in the arena, and when they recharged the rules, and you were so willing to die for me. That's when I realized that I loved you and that I couldn't live without you."

And with that he kisses me. And I am happy because there are no cameras watching me, watching us.

He stays the night with me, and for the first time since I volunteered to take Prim's, my little sister who is only 12, place in the games, I don't have any nightmares.


	2. Coming Home

**Thanks for the review I got! I love to get reviews! Again I don't own the main plot, but anything different from the books are my personal ideas. And sorry for the 1****st**** chapter being short, I just wanted to test the story.**

**Chapter 2**

I wake up in Peeta's arms, facing towards his chest. When I lift my head up, and Peeta's there, smiling down at me. I smile and blush as I look down.

He uses his fingers and gently lifts my chin, making me look at him.

"You look so beautiful when you sleep." When he says this I blush again, and he laughs.

"And when you blush." Then he kisses me lightly and stands up.

"I have to go get ready, but I'll see you at breakfast, ok?" I nod my head, and he leans down and kisses me one more time before he leaves my room on the train.

I get ready and head to the dining car to find Haymitch and Effie sitting there, but surprisingly, no Peeta.

He is usually ready before me. And I know that I act like I don't care about the girl stuff, but I am still a girl.

I begin eating, and I am only a couple bites in when I feel hands cover my eyes. There's only one person that could be.

"Guess who." Whispers a VERY familiar voice into my ear.

"Hmmm… Oh I know! Hey Gale!" I say jokingly.

Peeta fakes being hurt and puts his hands over his heart dramatically.

"That hurt."

"Oh come on, you know I was just kidding!"

He keeps on the hurt face, and even though I know that he's kidding, I start to feel guilty.

"Peeta I'm sorry."

He laughs and leans down and kisses me on the cheek, then starts eating breakfast. Before we know it, we're pulling up to the station at 12.

He grabs my hand as we go and stand by the doors, waiting for them to open on our homecoming party.

He smiles at me and says "No matter what happens, know that I'll always love you."

With that he kisses me as the doors open, and flashes of cameras go off like crazy.

I immediately look out and spot Prim sitting on Gale's shoulders. And as she smiles at me, I can't help beaming at her.

That's when I catch Gale's angry stare, and notice that he's staring at Peeta and I's intertwined fingers.

Peeta seems to notice it to, because he squeezes my hand. And when I look up at him, he's looking down at me. And even though he's smiling, his eyes are saying a different thing. They're asking if I'm ok.

I smile back at him and he goes back to looking at the crowd.

When we finally finish walking through the crowd, we end up at the Justice building. That's when my mother and Prim come in.

Prim runs straight for me, and as Peeta lets go of my hand, I engulf Prim in a hug. I can feel her tears seeping through my shirt.

"Hey, Prim don't cry. I made it. I won for you. I'm here." I say this while stroking her blonde hair.

And as she looks up at me through her tears, smiling, she says, "I knew that you could do it Katniss! I'm just really happy that you came home." With that she hugs me tight for a moment before she lets go and then she walks over to Peeta, who had quietly moved to the back of the room.

"Thank you for keeping my sister alive. Oh and thanks for being very willing to die for her. I always suspected that you had a thing for my sister, even if she couldn't see it herself." With that she hugs him. It takes him a few seconds to react, but then he slowly hugs her back.

That's when I realize that he's going to be a perfect fit in my family. And that's very important to me.

My mom walks up to me and hugs me.

"You know, I didn't check out when you left, Katniss. And I'm sorry I did when your father died, but I want to have a relationship with you. You're my daughter, and when you went in Prim's place, it made me realize that."

I didn't know what to do, should I give my mom the chance, or should I be angry for what she did after my father died. She left me to raise Prim and provide for our family by myself. I have to make a decision, but I feel like she really means this.

"Alright, we can try to have a relationship, but you have to work at it to mom, it can't always be me taking care of everything again."

She smiled at me and pulled me in for a hug.


	3. Hunting

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I will try and work on all of your suggestions! Also thanks to everyone who favorited my story or added me to their author alerts! I appreciate that! Here's chapter 3!**

**Chapter 3**

I'm back in the arena again and I see Cato's dead body laying on the ground. I hear the canon go off and I look to Peeta. I'm about to scream at him that we've won, when all of a sudden the ground starts to shake.

It's only slightly at first, but then it increases to the point that I can hardly stand.

The ground starts to crack in the ground between me and Peeta. And then all of a sudden, the crack becomes a big, gaping canyon.

The canyon goes on for as far as I can see.

I look back to where Peeta should be standing, and find him on the ground, holding his wounded leg.

I watch as the blood slowly drains from his face and leg. And I'm screaming his name over and over again, but he doesn't seem to hear me.

Then I hear it, the canon going off and Caesar announcing that I've won the game.

I screaming, but no one seems to hear me.

I sit up in bed and I realize that I am covered in sweat.

I'm still in my old house, I will be here until tonight, when I move into the victors village.

I swing my legs over the edge, get up, and get ready.

I grab my father's hunting jacket and head out towards the woods.

I know that I don't need to hunt anymore, but I feel like it's the only thing that can calm me down from my nightmare.

I enter the woods and head toward the rock that used to be Gale and I would meet before we started hunting.

Surprisingly I see Gale sitting there. I approach him silently and sit down.

He notices me and we sit there for a few moments in complete silence until he finally turns to me and speaks up.

"So, are you and him together now?"

I sigh and say, "Why is that such a big deal to you Gale? I saw you yesterday and the way that you looked at Peeta and I holding hands. He was there for me in the arena, and I actually think that at times he kept me from going completely insane."

"It bugs me because you never thought about how I would feel! Did you not? While you were off playing house with him, I was here, taking care of BOTH of our families!"

"While I was off playing house? Gale, that was the farthest thing from playing house! In case you forgot I was fighting for my LIFE out there!"

"I didn't forget that you were fighting for your life! I just wish you would have showed a little consideration to how I felt!"

"And how did you feel?"

"That you shouldn't be with him!"

"Why not!"

"Because maybe I have feelings for you!" He screams at me. I look at him shocked, and for a moment I can't respond.

"Gale…."

He cuts me off saying, "It is what it is, ok. I'm just confused as to what happened to the girl who told me that she didn't want children. That she didn't want a relationship, because that's what it lead to, and that this world isn't a place for any child of yours."

"She's still here Gale. But I can't help that I fell in love. And what if this world changes? What if there are no more Hunger Games? I don't want to risk not being with him, even if things don't change. He's to important to me."

"I thought that I was important to you."

"You are Gale, it's just in a different way then he is."

" I get it. I'm not that guy for you. I'm happy for you Catnip, I really am."

"Thank you Gale, that means a lot to me that your happy for me. Can we still be hunting partners though?"

He smiles and chuckles, just a little bit.

"Of course we can Catnip."

I hug him, and he hugs me back.

We spend the rest of the morning hunting.

And I forget all about that dream this morning, even though it's just for a little while.


	4. Plans and Surprises

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than my original ideas which are different from the parts in the book. Thank you for the reviews and the adding to favorites or alerts! That's really cool to me! They are going to be longer, but I have to build up to that part first, but it should be within the next one or two chapters that they get long. (It's also kind of hard during the week with school, but I just enjoy posting so I do it anyways ) **

**Chapter 4**

**Gale's P.O.V.**

I had just told Katniss that we could still be hunting partners, and that I was happy for her.

I'm not.

She should be with me, not some baker boy.

But, I'm going to give her time to get over whatever it is she THINKS she feels for him, or until he breaks her heart.

Either way, I win.

I'll be the best friend who's there for her, and eventually, he should, if he's normal, get angry that she's spending so much time with me. Then he'll get all angry and yell at her. And who will she have to comfort her?

Me.

We hunt throughout the morning, and I'm the perfect gentlemen.

I let her get the majority of the game that we shoot, even though at times, I would see them first. But I didn't shoot them, because I need to appear like the perfect friend to her. Then I'll look like the perfect match when he hurts her.

I walk her back to the fence, because she said something about not telling anyone where she was going, and that they're probably worried.

As we reach the fence, and she goes to climb through, I quickly pull her back and hug her.

Sure, the hug is probably a little longer than normal friends would hug, but I want to make her think about what it would be like to be with me instead of the baker boy.

She heads off in the opposite direction from me, and I head off towards the Justice building.

I arrive, and as I had hoped, Madge is sitting on the front steps of the building.

Madge is the mayor's daughter, and her family is the richest thing around here, and they aren't even that rich. I approach her, and I ask her out.

Of course she said yes, every girl drools over me. All of them, except for Katniss.

Until now.

Now is when I make her jealous.

**Katniss' P.O.V.**

Gale and I head back to the fence, and just as I'm about to climb through, Gale pulls me back for a hug.

It was a little awkward though, because he hung onto me a little longer than he probably should have.

Then when we cross the fence, he heads towards the town, which is strange.

But I just dismiss his odd behavior.

I head back to my home, walking in the half dead, half alive grass, taking my time on my way home.

When I arrive I find Peeta, my mom, and Prim all sitting at our poor excuse for a table.

Peeta jumps up immediately and comes straight toward me.

At first I think angry, but then he engulfs me in his strong arms. I relax, but only just a little bit, knowing he's probably just a little angry about me leaving this morning, with no explanation of where I was going, or why.

Peeta pulls away from me a bit, looks me right in the eyes, and says, "Where were you Katniss? Do you know how worried I was? Or how worried your mom was?"

"I just went hunting, I didn't think it would be that big of a deal, I'm sorry."

Prim speaks up with, "See I told you she just went hunting."

I give her a very confused look, and she proceeds to explain.

"You see, I heard her screaming last night, and I figured she was having a nightmare. She always goes to the woods when she has one, so when I woke up, it didn't surprise me. So I was right."

"Why did you go alone, I would have gone with you." I hear pipe up. I turn back towards him.

"Because the woods is my private place. And I don't mean that offensively Peeta, please understand that, but I go there to think. To clear my head."

He sighs and says, " I'm not offended Katniss, I just wish someone would have known where you were instead of you just running off like that."

"Someone knew where I was, Gale was there. And he could have easily protected me from anything bad that came along." I immediately regret saying this when I feel Peeta's arms tighten protectively around me and I see his jaw tense.

"Why was he with you?"

"I found him out there and we talked a bit. He said he was happy for us Peeta."

"No offense Katniss, but I don't trust the guy. I've seen the way he looks at you. Why do you think I asked if he was your boyfriend when we went off for the Hunger Games?"

"He's my friend, Peeta, and nothing more. I love you, not him."

He sighs again then smiles down at me. "Alright. And I love you too."

**The next day**

I had moved into the victors village last night. I've never seen such a big and expensive house in 12. Sure I had seen more extravagant things in the Capitol, but this was different. This is my home.

This is District 12.

Where there are way to many people who are poor and starving for this nice of stuff.

Peeta's house is right next to ours, which is nice because it means I get to see him that much more often.

The houses contain all new items, but we were allowed to bring whatever we wanted from the old house, much to Effie's dismay, because she had just recently updated the houses so they weren't so outdated.

They hadn't really seen much use, seeing as the only victor from District 12 that was alive was Haymitch. And even then, there were only two victors from 12 throughout the history of the games.

Peeta is helping me unpack when I hear the doorbell ring, and my mother let someone into the house.

I walk down the stairs, hand-in-hand with Peeta. We walk into the kitchen to find the person we least expected sitting at our new dining room table.

I turn to Peeta in shock as he turns to me. And then we turn back to the visitor at my table. Who turns out to be….

President Snow.


	5. Prove It

**Hey! Thanks for all the comments, alerts, and favorites! I really appreciate them! Ok here's chapter 5! I don't own anything except my original ideas that are different from the book. Please review!**

**Chapter 5**

I stand there, shocked. Why was president Snow sitting at my dining room table? Hadn't he done enough to me, with the games? Why was he here now?

My mother and Prim exit the room and head up stairs to give us some privacy.

"Ah there you are Katniss, and I see that Peeta is with you, which will save me a trip next door. I've come to talk to you about the quickly approaching victory tour."

The victory tour, which I had conveniently forgotten all about, was to keep the pain fresh in the minds of the districts, to help keep them in line.

"Why does that earn us a visit from you?" Peeta says in a surprisingly calm voice.

"You see, I don't like to be out witted, especially in my Hunger Games, and you two managed to do that because of your so called 'love' for each other. But, you don't have me convinced. Katniss, you seemed a little to, cold, to be in love with him. And if I want the districts to continue doing what I want them to do, then you need to squash this rumored revolution that you may have possibly sparked with that little berry trick of yours."

"We are in love president Snow, I can assure you of that." Peeta says, but this time with a little more edge to his voice.

"Well, I want you to prove it to me." Says Snow.

And that's when I lose it. I lunge towards him, and if it wasn't for Peeta's arms quickly stopping me, I would have attacked him. Which would not have been a good thing, no matter how much the public seems to love me, which I never quite understood.

"Prove it to you? Why do I need to prove anything to you! Everyone else believes it, and guess what? It's the truth! I love him! Why is that so hard for you to understand! You have a lot of nerve coming here and…" I scream at him until he cuts me off by raising up his hands like he's in surrender.

"Now, now, my dear, I didn't come to upset you. I just wanted to merely remind you that you need to prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that you two are in love, and that you can't live without each other. I understand that you are together and in love, or whatever it is you two have going, but that doesn't guarantee that I won't have people questioning if it's true or not. And I don't want that. And I most certainly don't want a revolution on my hands. That's the reason the games are in place in the first place. Because 13 tried to rebel, and then they were wiped out, and now the others need a constant reminder. I would really hate to bomb 12. They provide a good portion of the supply for our electricity in the Capitol."

"We'll make sure that everyone knows the truth about us, that we are in love. You shouldn't worry." Peeta says, now very icily. I can tell he's angry, but he's trying to keep his cool in front of me.

"Well, just to be sure, I want to remind you of something. Don't forget that I hold all the power in Panem, and if you can't convince me along with everyone else, I can make your lives very interesting. I must be going now though. The tour starts in a few weeks, be prepared my dears, it's going to be the longest tour yet."

And with that Snow exits my house and gets into a hovercraft that has materialized in the air over my house by the same type of ladder that we used to enter and leave the arena.

I'm frozen for a moment before I turn to Peeta, angry and just a little bit scared.

"How are we supposed to show that we love each other?"

"We're in love, Katniss, it shouldn't be that hard to prove."

"But what if it is? How are we supposed to prove that we love each other to everyone, squash a rumored rebellion, and hope that he doesn't decide to bomb 12 while we are away, just to send a message?"

"We will just have to not worry about 12. He's just making threats to make sure that we do what he wants. And it shouldn't be hard, because we are truly in love. All we have to do is show them that, and we can convince them. And by the way, you're not cold, as soon as you found me in that arena, when I was wounded from Cato's sword, you refused to let me die. You made sure to take care of me, even when it was harming to you."

"But I was cold that night after the interviews. You told Caesar you had a crush on me for as long as you could remember, and we went back to our floor on the training center. I hurt you, you cut your hands in that glass."

"You were only just reacting, and you thought that I was pretending to get sponsors. I wasn't angry with you. I realized that I should have told you about that crush way before then, but to be honest, I just wasn't brave enough. A lot of boys at school liked you Katniss, and I really didn't want to get rejected. I also wasn't expecting for Caesar to ask that sort of question."

I kiss him. He's to sweet and kind for me, but he loves me, and I love him.

We head upstairs to finish unpacking, and that night at dinner, we explain to my mother and Prim about why Snow was visiting.

I receive a phone call from Effie Trinket, and she tells me that the victory tour, the part that I was dreading most since I had won the 74th Hunger Games along with Peeta, was going to be starting a few months earlier then it had in past years.

This was another way of Snow reminding us of how we have to prove to people that we were in love.

My mother agrees to let Peeta stay the night, because I had told her about him keeping my nightmares away when we were on our way back to 12 after the Hunger Games.

We head up to my room, and we fall asleep.

I'm back in the arena, and I'm sawing at the branch with the tracker jacker's on it. It's about to fall, when I yell to Peeta to run. He wakes up, and I scream it again. He gets up and runs, while the other careers are just waking up. Then the hive falls, and I watch as Glimmer dies. I get down from the tree, and because I've been stung, I'm stumbling around.

I'm grabbing at the bow and arrows, but there are two of them. And when I finally get them, I see Peeta running towards me, screaming at me to run.

It takes me a second to comprehend what he's saying, but then he's helping me to my feet, and I'm running.

I turn back to see Cato running towards me, but I turn back around and keep running.

I wake up suddenly. And even though I only move slightly, Peeta wakens immediately.

He asks me if I'm alright, and I explain my dream to him.

It's nearly the time I would wake up anyways, so he gets up with me and we head downstairs.

And there, on our dining room table.

Is a snow white rose.


	6. Fight For You

**Hey sorry it's later today, but I was out with my family. Thanks for the comments, alerts, and favorites! I'm thinking of skipping to a few weeks later, but if you don't think that's a good idea, let me know. It would just be to when they are starting the victory tour. Please review, reviews make my day because it lets me know people like the story. Thanks!**

**Chapter 6**

I marched up to where the sickly sweet rose was sitting, picked it up, opened the window, and threw it out. I slammed the window back shut, and I felt Peeta pulling me into a hug, trying to calm me down.

"I hate him, I really hate that evil man." I state, my voice full of venom.

Peeta starts stroking my hair, and eventually I calm down.

When the sun rises, Peeta says that he has to head over to the bakery. Even though he was now a victor of the Hunger Games, he still worked at his family's bakery to help them out.

He was to sweet for his own good. He says goodbye and gives me a quick kiss while telling me to meet him at the bakery around lunch time.

I tell him that I will, and he heads off.

I head towards the woods, figuring that I could bring some squirrel back for Peeta's dad, seeing as he loved it so much, when I go to the bakery this afternoon.

Of course when I arrive I find Gale there. And he's acting all strange again. I guess it's because he thinks that I've changed since I went to the Capitol, but I'm still the same me. I just had a few new experiences that weren't the greatest. We sit down for a few minutes, because we haven't seen any game for awhile now. And Gale speaks first, but in a cautious, whisper tone, because he doesn't want to scare away any potential game.

I may be rich and have everything that I could ever want, but that doesn't mean everyone in 12 does.

" So how have you been Catnip?"

"I've been alright. Although I had an unusual and defiantly unwanted visitor last night. Snow came."

I see his jaw tighten.

I can tell he's still not over what he feels for me, and he isn't happy that our very corrupt president decided to pay me a visit. "What did he want?" He musters out in a tight voice, trying to control his anger.

"He wants us to start the victory tour early, and he wants us to prove to everyone that we are in love. There is a rumor of a rebellion going around, and he thinks we, mainly I, sparked it. Now he wants us to squash it, if it's even true. And if we don't, lets just say it won't be good for anyone."

He gets furious at the part about Snow threatening me.

"He threatened you? He can't just do that, threatening people to do what he wants!"

"He already does that Gale! There's nothing we can do but what he says."

"If he comes near you, I am going to rip him to shreds!"

"Thank you for wanting to protect me Gale, but I survived an arena of 22 people trying to kill me. I don't want you to get hurt in the process." I give him a quick kiss on the cheek, hoping that it will calm down a little bit. It seems to work as I see his jaw go slack, but only by just a bit.

"I thought you didn't love me." He states, which he knows isn't true, he just wants to hear me say it.

I sigh.

"I do love you Gale, but not in the same way that I love Peeta. I love you like you're my older brother. Your someone who is always going to be there to protect me and help me. You're a great best friend Gale, but I can't see it being anything more than that."

He just looks down, and we sit in silence for a few seconds, before I speak up again.

"So I heard a rumor that you and Madge are a thing now?"

He perks his head up just a little bit, and for a second I see a smirk cross his face. But he quickly wipes it off. It was like he was hoping that I would ask about it.

"Yeah, I guess. Jealous?" He asks with a hint of humor in his voice. I laugh a little at how quickly his mood can change sometimes.

" No. I'm happy for you Gale."

"Just because I'm with her right now, doesn't mean that I'm going to stop fighting for you Katniss."

I'm shocked he actually used my real name for once, but I recover quickly and whisper back to him.

"Please don't. Nothing is going to change how I feel for Peeta. I'm sorry Gale, but I can't watch you get hurt because of me."

"It doesn't matter what you say, I'm still going to fight for you, until the day I die."

I get uncomfortable, for the first time I can remember, staying here with him. So I stand up, dust off, and go to walk away.

"Where are you going? It's only around midday." He says, sounding startled by my leaving.

"I'm meeting Peeta at the bakery for lunch. I'll see you later, ok?"

He sighs, and without looking at me says, "Ok."

This bugs me just a little bit, we used to be so close, and now all of a sudden, I'm feeling the distance between us growing.

I knew we couldn't pick up where we left off when I went to the games, because I didn't think that I was going to survive. But I did, and I still knew things would be different. But not by this much.

I make my way back to the fence, climb through, and head off towards the bakery. My whole walk there I'm replaying my conversation with Gale.

I arrive at the little bakery that Peeta's family owns. I walk in and hear the tiny bell above the door let them know someone has arrived.

I'm expecting Peeta to come walking from the back, seeing as he is expecting me. But his father emerges and smiles at me.

I approach him with my game bag, and pull out three squirrels.

"Hello Mr. Mellark. I brought you some squirrels."

He nods at me thankfully as I hand them over to him. He tries to offer me some bread in return, but I shake my head.

"I don't need anything for them, really."

He smiles at me gratefully and walks into the back.

I know he doesn't need them either, seeing as his son was a victor and could now provide them with everything they wanted and needed. I still wanted him to have them though. He was so kind to me when I was about to go off to the games.

He brought me some cookies, which I had thrown off the train later because of anger, and told me that he would make sure that Prim was looked after. Whether that be with food, or that no one was mistreating her.

I'm looking around when I feel someone's strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.

I lean back into Peeta's chest, tilt my head back so I can see him ,and smile at him.

"Hey boy with the bread. How are you?"

" I'm great now that my hunter girl is here. How was your morning?"

"It was fine, I went hunting, talked with Gale, and came to visit you."

He and Gale never really got along. Gale always thought he was a spoiled town kid. And Peeta, well, he didn't like the way Gale looked at me. Because it was similar to the way that Peeta looked at me.

He brings out some cheese buns, my favorite, and we head out to the meadow.

It's actually nice out today, and we sit in the meadow, talking about the approaching victory tour and enjoying each others company.

Little do I know, it's one of the last days that I would ever get to enjoy in the 12 that I grew up in.


	7. Victory Tour Beginning

**Sorry it was late again! I was babysitting and didn't get home until late. Please review and thank you to everyone who reviews and adds alerts and favorites!**

**Chapter 7**

**A few weeks later**

Today was the day. The day that we had to begin the victory tour.

I would have to go back to being in the public eye 24/7.

I felt like I was numb, sure I would have Peeta with me and that made everything better. But I had to convince some of the doubtful people that I was in love with him.

Which shouldn't be that hard, because I am in love with him.

I'm out in the woods, freezing.

I've been here for hours, since before dawn.

I slowly get up, which takes time because I've been sitting for so long, and head back towards the fence.

This is the first time I've been alone in the woods in years. Gale started working at the coal mines a few weeks back. He has to help provide for his family, because him and his mother Hazelle refuse to let his younger brothers to put their name in more times than necessary.

Tributes rarely ever make it back alive, especially from 12.

I listen for the hum of the fence, which is supposed to be charged, always, but it rarely ever is.

I climb through the fence and head back towards my house in the victors village.

When I arrive, I find Cinna and the rest of my styling already there.

I never realized how much I missed them, even if they were Capitol people.

Cinna was the most down to earth one that I had ever, and probably will ever have, met.

He made me The Girl on Fire.

They start right away, beautifying me.

They finally finish right before I am supposed to leave for the train station, to the awaiting train that will be my home for the next few months.

I head to the train in a car with my family and my team.

When I arrive, I see Peeta already standing there, smiling at the crowd that had gathered to see us off.

He's dressed similarly to me, which is no real surprise. We are both wearing a golden, red color. Mine in a dress that ends just above my knee, that every time I twirl, it glimmers like I'm on fire.

Peeta is wearing a black-gray suit with the beautiful color trimming it. He's looking very handsome, might I say.

Everyone else gets out of the car before me, and then when I go to get out, I find a hand outstretched to me.

I grab the hand and Peeta helps me out of the car. As soon as I'm out, he wraps a strong arm around my waist.

We walk up to the platform, where the mayor, Madge, our families, stylists, and some important people from the Capitol. The camera crews all just below the platform.

We smile and wave at everyone, and sneak in a few kisses with the camera crews going crazy and broadcasting us everywhere.

We finally say goodbye to everyone, and board the train.

We head towards the lounge car, and sit down to watch the recap of our send off.

Peeta has his arms wrapped securely around me. And every now and then he leans dowm and kisses me.

We will be arriving in 10 tomorrow morning, and then we will work our way down the numbers, until we finally reach the Capitol.

We head to my room on the train. Peeta has been sleeping in the same bed as me, because it keeps both of our nightmares away.

I slowly drift off to sleep in Peeta's warm embrace.

I wake up to Effie knocking on the door and exclaiming, "It's a big, big, big day!"

She may be annoying, but I forgot how much I missed her.

I get up and get ready, we eat breakfast, and we finish just in time to be at the doors when we arrive in 11.

This is going to be one of the hardest districts for me to visit, because of Rue.

She was my ally for one night in the arena, and she showed me how to take care or my tracker jacker stings.

She was like Prim to me, and I watched her die, while I sang to her.

This was her home, and I would have to meet the family of the little girl I couldn't keep alive.

Peeta recognizes the pain on my face and squeezes my hand, which is gripped firmly in his.

We arrive, smile for the cameras, and head into the building where we will meet with Rue and Thresh's families.

We meet with Thresh's first, and their kind, saying that when he died, I was the one they wanted to win. And that when I killed Cato, it gave them some peace of mind, even though their child will never return.

That's when Rue's family enters, and I tear up a little bit.

She has a few younger siblings, who will never see their sister again, and I feel a pang of guilt. I shouldn't have let her go off on her own, I should have stayed with her. I should have figured out another way to destroy their supply.

And when I'm about to break into tears, is when her mother walks up to me, hugs me, and begins to comfort me, telling me that it wasn't my fault.

But I felt like it was. And I would always have that small guilt inside of me, but talking with her family, and how they didn't blame me, and how they thanked me for putting flowers on her.

That's when I felt the guilt slowly start to melt away


	8. Districts and Familiar Eyes

**Ok, so yesterday, I tried to post chapter 7 many times, but it wouldn't upload until this morning so, sorry! Here's chapter 8! Thanks to everyone who comments, or adds to favorites or alerts! It makes my day!**

**Chapter 8**

After I finally settle down, I talk with Rue's family for awhile.

They then invite both Peeta and I to have dinner at their house. Unfortunately we have to decline, because 11 is throwing us a huge banquet. Then after that they are throwing a huge ball for us.

That would go into the wee hours of the night. Then at the end of the night, we would board the train and make our way towards 10.

It would be the same way in every district. We would arrive, smile for the cameras, and meet the other tributes grieving families. That would be the worst part, no matter what. We would have to talk with the families of the tributes that we either killed or saw die. Either way, we came home, and they didn't.

Then we would have a huge banquet and ball for us, get on the train, and start all over again.

This would happen through all of the districts, and then we would get to the Capitol.

In the Capitol we would do interviews and appearances for a few weeks, and then we would get to go home.

The only part after that will be bad is mentoring tributes to go to their slaughter. Districts never win in 12, except for Haymitch, Peeta, and I.

We eat at the banquet, which has food specific to the district we are in. It's like the tribute parade when we arrive in the capitol, except we are wearing fancy clothes instead of costumes, and the food is reflecting the district.

When we finish eating, we head toward the room where the ball will be held. I dance with almost every male attending, which at times is utterly repulsive, but when I'm finished, I find myself dancing with Peeta.

He smiles down at me, and whispers into my ear.

"You know, there were a lot of girls trying to convince me to leave the girl on fire."

I laugh, " Well I'm not surprised, have you ever looked in a mirror?"

"Nope, no time."

"Why haven't you had time?"

"I've been to busy looking at something more beautiful."

"And what would that be?"

"You." He breathes out in almost a whisper. He then leans down and kisses me.

We dance the night away, sneaking in little kisses here and there.

When the night finally ends, we head back towards the train.

I'm exhausted, and Peeta helps me to my room.

He lays me down and tucks me in. He goes to leave, but I quickly grab his arm lightly.

"Please don't leave. Just stay with me."

I don't have to ask twice as he climbs into my bed.

**Two weeks later**

I have literally seen it all on this tour.

The angry, grieving, emotional, and starting over parents of the other tributes. That has been the hardest part of this tour.

I can't bring their child back, and I'm alive, while their beloved child is not.

I've also had to dance with men who were a little to touchy, happy, old, drunk, and even some that tried to convince me to leave Peeta . Once a man even threw up all over the place, thank goodness I had just finished dancing with him.

Effie wasn't as lucky as I was on that one. She had to find a completely different outfit within the first two hours of the ball.

Peeta had the same problems with the girls he was dancing with.

But about half way through the ball, we always get to dance the rest of the night away together.

Every night we would talk about the people we danced with, and all of the things we liked and disliked about the district that we had just visited.

This makes us grow closer and closer together.

That's when we arrive in 2.

This is where Cato was from. The boy we let suffer for hours on end while we thought the wolf like beasts would kill him, when they didn't. Eventually I was the one to put an arrow through his head.

And I would have to meet his parents. They must hate me.

Then I remember who else was from this district.

Clove.

She was trying to kill me when she was killed, because she talked about the Career pack killing Rue. Little did she know that Thresh was nearby, and he killed her.

He then spared me because I had been kind to Rue.

I would surely be blamed for that also.

This was going to be a very hard district to visit.

Peeta pulls me into a hug and squeezes me tightly while we wait for the first family to arrive.

It has been left up to the two families to decide who goes first.

I'm anticipating Clove's family, because they would probably not hate me as much as Cato's.

But as I see the door knob turn, and hear the door creak open, my eyes meet ones that can only belong to one tributes parents.

Cato's family elected to go first.

I take in a raspy breath and prepare myself for what is to come.


	9. Horrible Parents

**Alright I own nothing other than my own thoughts that are different from the books. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or alerted this story! It means a lot to me! Please review!**

**Chapter 9**

I'm expecting them to scream at me, about how could I let their son suffer, how could I have shot him in the hand, the action that sent him tumbling off of the cornucopia, and the action that saved Peeta's life.

I expect his younger sister, who looks to be about 14 years old, start crying, demanding to know why I took away her big brother.

I expect them to start throwing things at me, and the peace keepers having to come and remove them from the room.

But that isn't what happens at all.

They sit calmly on the couch across from the one that Peeta and I are occupying.

I squeeze Peeta's hand, which I have firmly grasped.

"Hello, I'm Peeta Mellark, and this is Katniss Everdeen." Peeta begins after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Nice to meet you. We are Cato's family. Thank you for what you did in their Katniss."

I'm stunned by what Cato's very calm mother had just said. Why would she be thanking me?

"What do you mean?"

"Cato had gone crazy in there, either way we were never going to get Cato back. And you were just saving the person that you love when you shot him the first time. You also could have just let him suffer when he was being attacked by those mutts, but you put him out of his agony."

"But I let him suffer for a few hours!" I'm getting frustrated, how could they not care that their child was dead because of me. And how could they not care that I let him suffer.

"You were exhausted and couldn't think straight for a bit. We don't blame you for what happened to Cato, he brought it on himself."

I'm furious now. How could someone say that about their child! Did they not care about him at all?

I want to get up and shake some sense into them, but they stand up.

"It was lovely to meet you. Congratulations on winning." Says his little sister quietly. I think she is the only one who is sad about his death.

Then Clove's family walks in. Their daughter had tried to kill me twice, and had almost succeeded once.

"Hello, I'm Clove's mother and this is her father." Her mother says while gesturing to herself and her father.

" I'm Katniss Everdeen and this is Peeta Mellark." I say, still a little frazzled from the visit with Cato's family.

" We are so sorry that I daughter was so rude to you miss Everdeen, when she tried to harm you at the feast."

I'm not startled anymore, I've already come to the decision that the people in 2 didn't truly care for their children. Their slightly affected accents are now starting to get on my nerve.

"She was rude, but she was trying to keep herself alive." I state with a little edge in my tone.

"She was keeping you two apart. Everyone was rooting for you in most districts, even some of the parents of the tributes."

"Well that was very considerate of some of you." Peeta replies in as nice a tone as he can.

We talk for a few more moments before they leave.

Then we go through the normal routine that we have been going through on this entire tour.

Then we are in District 1.

This district is the one that is the most similar to the Capitol. The Capitol spoils them because they provide them with the luxury items that they can't seem to live without.

We talk with Glimmer's family, and the conversation goes very similar to the one with Cato and Clove's parents. The boy's parents elected to not meet us, and I can't blame them.

Who would want to meet the people who beat out their child to live in the cruel games.

We eat and dance the night away, then board the train.

We are heading toward the Capitol.

We arrive and do almost the same thing that we did in the districts, except there are no families of dead tributes to meet.

I'm partially relieved, because that was always the worst part in every district, but at the same time, I know I have a million and one interviews to do while I'm here.

But knowing Peeta's here too, just makes everything a little bit better. And then we get to go home and be normal.

At least until we have to mentor a boy and a girl to be slaughtered in a few months.

And when that time comes, I'm going to try my hardest to keep them alive.


	10. Interviews and Bad News

**Chapter 10**

I'm in a burnt orange dress with gold and red sparkles spread out all over, with my eyes outlined with the faintest hint of orange. Peeta is in a similar suit, burnt orange with red and gold trimming and a black shirt underneath.

We head onto the stage where the screaming crowd awaits Peeta and I.

Caesar Flickerman is in his chair, this time with fire red hair and a fire red suit. Peeta and I take a seat on the cream colored sofa onstage, facing Caesar.

The crowd is going wild for us and Caesar has to settle them all down. We smile while holding hands as the interview begins.

"So how is the most beloved victors of all time doing? Did you enjoy the victory tour?"

'We're so happy and smitten with each other!"

"The victory tour was good! It was fun seeing all of the other districts and their customs!" Peeta states.

"So how was meeting the families of the other tributes? Which in case you folks at home didn't know was added after this years Hunger Games."

"It was different, meeting the families of the others."

"It was kind of heartbreaking meeting them, because they were all dealing with the fact that their child was never going to come home. But it was interesting."

I add that last part because after I say the first part, I'm sure it's not exactly what Snow would have liked to hear.

"Which was the hardest family for you to meet?"

"Probably the ones from the higher numbered districts, they all were so young." Peeta says a little sadly.

"Rue's family."

C: " And why was that Katniss?"

"Because she was my first ally in there, and I left her alone, and she died because of it."

"Yes that is very sad my dear. But if it hadn't happened, how do you know that you would have made it home to the sister that you volunteered for?"

" I don't know if I would have, which makes everything that much harder."

"Alright. Peeta. When you were in that clever camouflage, did you think Katniss would ever have been able to find you if you hadn't given yourself away?"

"She might have, but I'm glad I gave myself away, because she took care of my wound."

"And how did you feel when she gave you that little sleeping berry so she could go to the feast?"

"At first when she returned I was angry, but she risked her life for me. And then I was angry at whoever harmed her, because I noticed that gash on her forehead. And she was treating me, but wouldn't take any for herself. That is until I forced her to."

The audience laughs a little at this. It's just how Peeta is, words come naturally to him, and he's so easy going. I on the other hand, am horrible with words, and I come off as angry and edgy a good amount of times. I do have my moments though, apparently.

"And then you two came out together. So tell me how have things been going in your relationship?"

"Extremely well! We love each other and it kills us to spend to much time apart. We're happy and looking forward to what comes next in our relationship."

I say and give Peeta a short kiss. I'm on TV, and we can't start making out here, it just wouldn't be appropriate.

"I actually wanted to say something about that, if you don't mind Caesar." Peeta says and I get a little confused.

"Of course not! Do you mind audience?"

The audience goes crazy, approving of him saying whatever he wanted to say. Peeta waits for it to calm down, before he turns towards me and grabs my hands.

"Katniss, I love you so much. And I can't imagine my life without my girl on fire." He states and then he does something I'm not expecting.

He gets down on one knee.

And pulls a small, black, velvet box out of his pocket.

"Katniss Everdeen. My girl on fire. Will you make me happiest man alive and Marry Me?"

Tears spring to my eyes as the audience goes wild. I can almost hear the shock of everyone in 12 all the way in the Capitol.

I nod my head.

"Yes! Yes, I'll marry you Peeta!"

And with that he slips the gorgeous ring onto my finger and kisses me. And I mean really kisses me. The kind that sends tingles through out my body.

I look at the ring. It's a white gold band with a heart shaped diamond in the middle of it. And in the middle of that diamond, are little flecks or gold and red. The girl on fire, captured in a stone.

I show it to the cameras as Peeta explains about it.

" I had asked Effie Trinket to place an order in a jewelry shop here when we were in district 5. I told her that the diamond should capture the girl on fire, and she did wonderful! And when we arrived in the Capitol, she picked it up for me and gave it to my stylist, Portia. She showed me where it was in my suit when I got ready to come here. I figured now was the best time to ask her. Don't you agree?"

The audience erupts in cheers.

That concludes our interview, and we head back to the hotel we are staying in.

And when we walk into our room, he pulls me in for a kiss.

"I'm sorry that I had to do that on TV, but I figured that it would be the perfect way to prove that we love each other. But I did mean it Katniss, I do want you to marry me."

"Well then it's a good thing I want to marry you. And I understand that you had to do that for the cameras, just understand that we now have to have a very public wedding."

" I understand that, but we can do the toasting on our own. I'm sure that wouldn't be incorporated into a ceremony that was for the Capitol anyways."

The toasting. Every district does a little differently, and some don't even do it all. But it's something that really says your married. Sure that's what the ceremony is for, but if you are truly in love and want to be with that person for the rest of your life, you do a toasting.

That's what is going to be separate from this whole Capitol wedding. A part that is sacred to us.

Cinna, my stylist, immediately whisks me off to try on wedding dresses the next day, which of course cameras are filming. Encouraging people to vote on what they thought was the best dress for me, even though it's MY wedding.

And of course Cinna had these all picked out ahead of time. He would be in on the secret about the proposal. And I'm oddly grateful, seeing as it saves me time on the picking and fitting portion.

In 12, most people are to poor to have an actual wedding dress, so they just wear their best clothing ,they have.

But I'm going to have an actual wedding dress, one of my very own. One that's white, elegant, and new.

But the part that I love, is that I'm marrying Peeta.

I'm going to be Katniss Mellark.

I know I had always said that I didn't want to get married, because that led to children, but I love Peeta, and I can't imagine not marrying him.

We are back in 12 the next week, and things are suddenly different. There is a new head peace keeper, and he's extremely cruel.

People do nothing wrong, and he has them publicly whipped on a miniature stage he had built in the center of the district.

They whipped Gale today, and I don't know what for. But it's unfair, and I try to stop it, but Peeta holds me back. He tells me that I can't cause a scene here, and that Gale will be ok.

He's right, Gale's ok, for the most part. He comes to my family's house in the victors village and my mother heals him.

He was also right about not making a scene, especially with Snow probably watching our every move. At least until after this next Hunger Games.

It's that night, when we are all told to watch our televisions because there was going to be an announcement from the Capitol.

We settle in, our new TV whirls on, and the seal appears on the screen while the anthem plays.

Peeta is over, in fact he spends so much time here, that he practically lives here.

President Snows image appears on the scene, and he starts to talk about the 75th Hunger Games, which are fast approaching. It's the third quarter quell, but I'm not expecting what's coming next.

"For this years Hunger Games, we are going to change things up a bit and make it more interesting. The tributes are going to be drawn from previous victors in each district. These victors will once again return to the Capitol to battle in the Hunger Games. It's going to be an intresting little treat. That's all." Snow says, and then the seal and anthem appear again.

My mother looks shocked and Prim starts crying. She balls herself up in my lap, hugging me tightly around my neck.

Peeta turns to me with tears streaming down his face. He squeezes my hand and kisses me. He keeps mumbling something about how it isn't fair against my forehead.

And that's when it hits me. I don't have a choice, there are no other girl victors from 12. I'm going back in.

And this time, I'm not going to be so lucky.

**Ok Authors note at the end this time! Thank you for all the review, alerts, and favorites! Keep reviewing! And I saw that someone asked about the 75****th**** Hunger Games, and I thought it was ironic because it was coming in this chapter. I probably won't be able to update until Friday. **


	11. Lullabys

**Chapter 11**

We have a few weeks until the reaping, and Peeta and are out in the woods constantly.

I'm teaching him how to hunt, what's poisonous, what's ok, and even how to swim.

I can't swim in a pretty way, but I can swim none the less.

Every night, Prim comes into my room, crying from a nightmare about me in the arena.

And every night I sing her the same lullaby. I'll always remember the words.

_I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go. _

_When all those shadows almost killed your light._

_I remember you saying don't leave me here alone_

_But all that's dead, and gone, and passed_

_Tonight_

_Just close your eyes,_

_The sun is going down._

_You'll be alright,_

_No one can hurt you now._

_Come morning light,_

_You and I'll be safe and sound _

_Don't you dare look out your window_

_Darling everything's on fire._

_The war outside our door keeps raging on._

_Hold on to this lullaby,_

_Even when music's gone_

_Just close your eyes,_

_The sun is going down._

_You'll be alright,_

_No one can hurt you now._

_Come morning light,_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

I knew it was a mostly a lie, and I know that Prim knew that also. But as I sang it, stroking her blonde hair, for just that little bit, it could be true.

Some nights Peeta was there when this would occur, and when she would come in, he would go downstairs, to let me have some time with her.

Before I have to leave for good.

What If…...

It's the day of the reaping, and Prim of course comes into my room that night.

But this time after I finish my song, she says that she has one for me.

"Peeta helped me come up with it while you were out in the woods yesterday. I wanted you to have something to remind you of me when you're in there. It's partially based on when you were in there last time." Prim says, with a faint hint of tears in her eyes. I can see that she can't bring herself to say the arena.

_So here you are_

_Two steps ahead and saying_

_Unguard_

_Every lesson forms a new scar._

_They never thought you'd make it_

_This far._

_But turn around,_

_Well they've surrounded you it's_

_A show down._

_And nobody comes to save you now_

_But you've got something they don't_

_Yeah you've got something they don't._

_You've just got to keep you're eyes open_

_Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown,_

_Everybody's watching to see the fallout._

_Even when you're sleeping, sleeping_

_Keep your eyes open._

I pull her close to me with a few tears running down my face.

She's telling me to be strong, and that I was strong.

"Thank you Prim. I'll always remember it. I'm going to miss you so much."

I say as I place a gentle kiss on her head.

What If…...

I'm standing in the roped off section all by myself, wearing a red fabric dress.

Peeta and Haymitch stand across an aisle from me.

Peeta still has a chance to stay alive.

As long as he doesn't do what he said he was going to do earlier.

"_**Even if Haymitch is picked, I'm still going to volunteer."**_

"_**No you're not Peeta. Please don't."**_

"_**Someone has to protect you in there!"**_

"_**Haymitch can protect me. Besides, this way you still live."**_

"_**I don't care. I need to protect you, and if the time comes like it did in the last games, I'll sacrifice myself for you."**_

"_**Peeta, I'm begging you not to. We can't do anything like we did in the last games. And I can't lose you."**_

Effie steps onto the stage. She looks so sad, we were always her favorite tributes.

"The 75th hunger games tributes will receive the honor of competing again today. And may the odds be ever in your favor. Ladies first."

She walks over to the giant bowl with the one slip of paper in it.

The slip of paper that has my name on it.

She reaches her hand in, and pulls out that slip of paper.

"Katniss Everdeen."

I slowly make my way up to the stage.

Effie smiles at me sadly then says, "Gentlemen next."

She walks over to the bowl with two slips of paper in this.

I'm hoping that Haymitch's name is drawn. And I'm hoping that if it is, Peeta doesn't volunteer.

"Haymitch…"

But before Effie can finish, Peeta is running up towards the stage, screaming that he volunteers.

So much for my hope.

**Songs by Taylor Swift. I own nothing but my own personal ideas. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, alerted, and favorited. Please keep reviewing!**


	12. Flickering

**New Chapter! Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! I own nothing except for my original ideas which are different from the book. Next chapter will be the training and interview along with some Peeta and Katniss conversation before they head into the arena. Please review!**

**Chapter 12**

I'm ushered off into the Justice Building along with Peeta. But then we are separated into different rooms.

I say goodbye to Gale, and tell him to look out for Prim, because I worry about her.

Then Prim and my mother come in.

Prim rushes up to me and hugs me, tears streaming down her face.

"Prim please don't cry. It's going to be alright. You're going to be fine."

"Just try to win Katniss, please." She croaks out between sobs.

"I will Prim, I will try to win for you." I say as I place a kiss against her forehead.

I then stand up and hug my mother.

"Take care of her. She's going to need you."

"I will. Be careful Katniss."

I hug Prim and her one last time before they dragged from the room by peace keepers.

The last thing I hear before the door closes is Prim screaming for me.

I feel tears prick my eyes.

I'm never going to see my little sister again.

I'm never going to see my mother again.

I'm never going to see Gale again.

This is the last time I'm ever going to see district 12.

I'm ushered into a car with Haymitch in the front, Effie on the side, me in the middle, and Peeta on my other side.

He's holding me as we make our way to the train.

I refuse to cry, not until we are on the train, when there isn't all of Panem watching me.

Peeta on the other hand has tears in his eyes, but none ever fall. He keeps kissing the top of my hair and my forehead, I think to calm him down.

We get onto the train, and like that we are out of district 12.

That's when the tears fall from my eyes. Slowly at first, but then they start to come down like a waterfall.

I'm sitting on the couch in the dinning car when Peeta finds me.

He quickly sits down and pulls me into his arms.

He's trying to calm me down, but I can't be calm. How could I? I'm going back into the arena, and I'm going to die.

Eventually I calm down and eat dinner.

Peeta and I head off to bed, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to fall asleep.

I head into the bar car, and just as I had hoped, I find Haymitch there.

I take a seat next to him and wait a few moments before he turns to me.

"Here to yell at me for letting the boy volunteer?"

"No, I'm here to ask you why."

He sighs, "Do you remember when Snow announced that victors would be going back in? Well the night after that, Peeta came to me. He said that because I had kept you alive in the first games, I owed him. And what he wanted in return was for me to let him go back in to protect you."

"But why would you let him!"

"Because he was right, and I didn't have much of a choice."

"He could have lived his life fully! He could have grown old, found someone else, had the children he so desperately wants! How could you let him give that all up?"

"Because he only wants those things if they're with you. He wants to make sure you stay alive, and he's asked me to send the majority of parachutes to you. Unless he really needs something desperately, he doesn't want anything to be wasted on him."

I can't sit here any longer, so I head back to my room. When I return, I find Peeta still sleeping peacefully.

I don't understand how he can sleep, but he does.

Eventually I drift off also, but I'm plagued by nightmares all night.

What If…..

We're pulling up into the Capitol, and everyone is screaming for us.

Their favorite victors.

The star crossed lovers from district 12.

We are immediately shipped off to our make over team, separately.

I'm washed, waxed, and snipped at until I'm deemed suitable to see Cinna.

Cinna.

I've missed him more than I thought. And I realize that I need him now more than ever.

And when he walks into the room, I run over and hug him.

He dresses me in a dazzling outfit, that when he presses a button in the fabric near my wrist, I see the full intention of it.

I'm glowing and flickering like an ember in a fireplace.

I hug him tightly again, he's done so much for me.

I'm escorted to the chariot, where I find Peeta standing. I hug him quickly and he gives me a quick kiss, then walks off to talk to someone.

That's when Finnick Odair walks up to me.

"Want a sugar cube? They're supposed to be for the horses, but they have a long time left to eat sweets, while the rest of us aren't so lucky."

Finnick is somewhat of a legend. He won the games at 14 years old, making him one of the youngest victors ever.

He was also from 4, which made him a career. One who trains then volunteers, even though it's supposed to be illegal.

He was also beautiful, and because of that he hadn't had to ask for anything in the arena.

His opponents realized this a week to late though, and he was an excellent fighter.

He received the most expensive gift in the arena, a trident.

And it was all over for his competitors after that.

District 4 fishes, meaning he had been on boats for all of his life, and the trident was easy for him to use to his advantage.

Along with capturing his opponents in nets, that he knew how to make.

Almost everyone has been drooling over him since.

Except for me.

He was to much of a player for me.

"It's to bad about the Quell, you could have had anything you wanted from the Captiol. Jewels, money, anything."

"I don't need jewels and I have plenty of money. What do you spend all of yours on Finnick?"

"I haven't dealt with money in years."

"Then how do you pay for everything?"

That's when he whispers to me. "With secrets. Do you have any secrets for me, Girl on Fire?"

"I'm an open book. I feel people know what I'm thinking before I even know myself."

"I fear that's true. Here comes Peeta, sorry that you had to cancel your wedding, that must have been devastating."

I wince at that as he walks away. I hate talking about having to cancel marrying Peeta to feed into these sick and twisted games.

Peeta walks up to me then.

"What did Finnick Odair want?"

"Nothing much, he asked if I wanted a sugar cube, if I had any secrets to share with him, and he brought up the wedding."

Peeta pulls me into a hug. He knows that talking about the wedding upsets me.

He helps me onto the chariot, and I show him how to turn on his suit.

We are defiantly going to be the talk of the games, again.


	13. Before the Arena

**Ok so I had a really crazy week and wasn't able to update, sorry! This next week settles down a little bit and then the week after I won't be able to post at all because I'm going on a trip for school. Thanks for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites! I appreciate them! Please review! Next chapter is the beginning of the arena!**

**Chapter 13**

We train for the next few days.

And because we are all victors, we can't hide what our special "skills" are.

I learn that Finnick can still use that trident.

Most of the others can still use the weapons they had mastered when they had won the games.

Peeta and I are at a slight disadvantage.

Everyone was watching last years games, and we are still fresh in the minds of everyone.

But it's also helpful.

It's helpful because that means we can get that many more sponsors. And in the games, sponsors mean life or death.

When Haymitch and I had talked, we agreed that he would keep Peeta alive this year.

Last year he choose me.

We train hard, and our sessions include climbing ropes, sparing, sword fighting, and survival things.

I'm last to have my visit with the game makers again. But this year they all stop and look at me expectantly when I walk in.

Last year I had to shoot an apple out of a pigs mouth for them to even look at me.

I pick up the bow and arrows, aim, and shoot right at the heart of the figure.

I hit it dead on, but I need to do more to impress them if I want a high score.

I wasn't going to be like some of the tributes, where they got low scores purposely and then came out with vengeance.

This year there were mesh walls separating the stations in the training center, so I aimed for a tiny chink in it, one that, if hit right, would send the whole thing plummeting toward the ground.

The game makers looked confused at first, but when I hit it spot on, and it came crashing down, they looked rather surprised.

I don't know if they were surprised by the fact that I wasn't aiming at the targets, or the fact that I could recognize where the chink was, hit it square on, and send the mesh clattering to the floor.

If I had to guess, I would say it was the second option.

They must have been impressed by everyone, because everyone got at least an 8.

Peeta got a 10,which was great and that he stood a chance.

But they must have been the most impressed with me, because I got a 12.

A 12.

There was a huge celebration that night for all of us from 12.

My score had turned out to be the highest of everyone's.

They all said that I was most likely to win, but little did they know, I would try my hardest to see that Peeta was the winner.

What If…

Today was interview day.

I'm standing in front of a mirror in a beautiful white wedding dress.

It's strapless with it flaring out a bit at my waist. Also at the waist is a gold belt, to represent fire.

Cinna made me the girl on fire, and he put that color scheme in whenever he could.

Peeta was in a gold and black suit.

We ALWAYS match in clothing. Our stylists do it for a reason

"I want you to spin in your dress, like you did last year, at the end of your interview." Cinna says to me right before I'm about to go on.

"Does it look like it's on fire again?"

"Something like that."

I'm about to ask what he means when I'm whisked off to stage.

Caesar is in a soft pink color this year.

I think it's an ok color for him, but the blue was always better.

We talk about how it was sad that Peeta and I wouldn't get to have a wedding, and about our love.

And then he asked me if my dress would be on fire like last year.

I say what Cinna had told me, "Something like that, but I'm not sure what. Should we find out Caesar?"

"Of course!"

I spin, and as I'm spinning I notice white and black little things going everywhere. At first I'm confused. Am I really on fire?

And when I finally stop spinning, I realize what it was from.

The once white wedding dress has now turned into a black dress with feathers. I look like I have wings and my mocking jay pin is where the belt used to be.

That's when it dawns on me.

Cinna has made me a mocking jay.

It was on the pin Madge had given me before I left for the first games, and it was my token from 12.

I had it in the first games, and that's how Rue and I had decided to communicate after blowing up the careers pyramid of supplies.

It failed however, seeing as Rue had perished at a careers hand.

Cinna was going to get into so much trouble for this.

I sit back down and watch as Peeta does his interview.

He's always been great with his words, and now is no different. Everyone, including Caesar, seems to be hanging on his every word.

"Are you sad that you won't get to marry Katniss Everdeen?"

"Actually we are already married. You see in 12 we do a toasting that is just as, or even more important, than the actual ceremony. So, when we heard we would have to come back, we decided to do a toasting."

"Isn't that just sweet! So sad it has to end this way, you won't have any children."

"Well, you see," he takes a big pause and sighs. "Katniss is pregnant."

The whole audience gasps and there are murmurs of how unfair that is. I even hear a few cries out in the audience.

I'm angry he didn't tell me he was going to say this.

It's almost like last years interview all over again.

Caesar settles everyone down and continues his interview with Peeta.

It's when they are finished and we all go to leave as the anthem plays that we do something that Snow just might have a heart attack over.

We all join hands silently and hold them like that through the anthem and then when we silently walk off.

It shows that Capitol that we don't want to be here, and that we stand together. A clear defiance against the Capitol.

Too bad this moment wont mean anything tomorrow. We will be delivered to the arena, and 23 tributes will be killed.

I'm up on the roof of the training center when I see Peeta next.

He takes a seat next to me.

I'm still a little angry with him from the whole interview thing, but at the same time he was trying to protect me.

"I'm sorry about that Katniss. I just wanted.."

"To protect me. I understand Peeta, but please understand that I want to do the same for you."

"You don't need to protect me Katniss, you're the one who needs to survive. Lets not argue though."

I sigh and I fall silent for a few minutes until I speak up.

"What if we did a toasting? We would really be married then, and we could be together, even if it's just for one more night."

He agreed, and we had the toasting right there on the roof of the training center.

And we were married, at least in the way 12 married people.

And that night, we acted like a married couple would on the night of their wedding.

But it would only be for this one night, because then we would be in the arena


	14. The Death of Cinna

**Ok so, they will be in the arena for a bit, then something happens after that, and I'm wondering if I should make that a sequel story, or continue it in this one. Let me know what you think! Thanks for the reviews, alerts, and favorites! Keep it up! I own nothing besides my own personal ideas which are different from the book.**

**Chapter 14**

I'm on the hovercraft that is taking us to the arena, where I will meet my untimely death.

Peeta is sitting in the chair next to me, holding my hand.

They put trackers into our arms, and that hurt.

We are delivered into our separate rooms where we are to finish preparing before we go to battle.

Cinna is there, waiting for me. I run to him and hug him, and he hugs me back.

He wants me to eat, but when that fails, to drink.

I sip on water, remembering how I almost died of dehydration in the last games.

I'm going to need my strength if I'm going to keep Peeta alive through this horrible thing.

I shower, and Cinna helps me into my tribute outfit, which is a fitted blue jumpsuit made of sheer material that zips up the front.

It also has a belt that is about six inches wide, although I'm not quite sure what that is for.

Cinna then braids my hair down my back, my signature hair style.

He then takes my mocking jay pin out of his pocket and pins it to my suit.

"My dress was beautiful last night Cinna." But it was also reckless, and he will get backlash for it, I'm sure.

But he must know that, anticipated it, otherwise why would he have done it.

"I figured you would love it." He says with a small smile on his face.

We hug and hold hands until that treacherous voice is telling me it's time to prepare for the launch into the arena.

He walks me over to the platform that will take me up into the arena and zips up the jumpsuit.

"Remember girl on fire, I'm still betting on you."

With that he kisses my forehead and takes a step back as glass encases me on the platform.

"Thank you." I say even though he probably can't hear me.

I lift my chin high, like Cinna always tells me, and he smiles.

I stand there and wait, and wait, but the platform doesn't rise.

Why are they dragging this out?

That's when the door behind Cinna bursts open and 3 peacekeepers spring on him.

Two hold his hands behind his back, while the other one hits him repeatedly, wearing metal-studded gloves.

I'm screaming as loud as I can, pounding on the glass case that refuses to break for me.

I then watch as they drag his limp body out of the room, a blood trail following behind.

I'm sickened and terrified, I want to go home, I want Cinna to come back and say that this was all a joke, but he doesn't.

And I can't go home, because the plate starts to rise, bringing me into the arena.

I'm leaning against the glass, trying my hardest not to cry when I feel a breeze and stand up. In perfect time, because the glass is leaving me to support myself.

There has to be something wrong with my eyes, because the ground is bright and shiny.

I squint down toward my feet and notice blue water hitting my boots.

I raise my head and look around, water everywhere, in every direction.

And then I realize, that this is no place for a girl on fire.

At all.

The voice starts counting down the seconds I have until I'm no longer safe.

Cinna's bloody image keeps flashing in my mind.

There were most certainly going to kill him, if he wasn't already dead.

I suck in a large breath, trying to think about what I can do, even though I just want to collapse right here, give up.

I find the cornucopia and see that it appears to be on an island.

Then I notice that it has thin strips of land jutting out from it, like spokes.

I also realize that I there is two tributes in between each spoke, and I can't see Peeta.

Not good.

I bend down and scoop up some water from around my boots with my hand and press it to my lips.

Salt water, great.

The gong sounds and I immediately dive to my left.

It's a longer distance than I usually swim, and it's rougher, but it seems to be much easier than I anticipated.

I drag myself onto the shore and run to the cornucopia.

All of the supplies are stacked up this year, and I notice a gold bow shimmering in the burning sun.

I yank it free when I feel someone else's presence. I pull the arrows out of the pile and load my bow.

I whip around to see Finnick a few yards away with a trident and a net, poised to attack.

"So you can swim too, girl on fire, learn that in 12?"

"We have a big bathtub." I reply with hostility in my voice.

"You must, enjoying the arena."

"Not really, but you must be thrilled that they built it for you." They had to have, it's the only thing that would make sense.

Then I remember that there was no swimming in the training center, and I look out to the water, where I see tributes struggling, and some drowning, slipping beneath the blue surface.

Finnick and I size each other up, until he says, " Good thing we're allies.

I don't believe him, and shoot an arrow. But then he raises his arm and I see a gold band with flames on it, the same one that Haymitch had worn when we started training.

So we are allies.

"Duck!" He screams, so I do. I hear the trident soar over my head and strike the man from 5, who crumples to his knees as Finnick quickly retrieves his trident.

"Don't trust 1 or 2."

We each go around the pile, and find that there are nothing but weapons.

We grab what we want, and I shot at Enobaria, who is expecting the arrow, and at Gloss, who is stuck in the calf.

I grab an extra sheath of arrows and another bow, two knives, and an awl.

Brutus is now too close for comfort, and I shoot at him, but he blocks it with his belt. Then it oozes something purple and it coats his face while he rolls back into the water.

This last altercation has given Gloss and Enobaria time to reach the cornucopia, so we clear out.

I'm thinking about Peeta when I spot him, still standing on his metal plate.

We had worked a little on swimming, but he must be afraid.

I'm removing my weapons to get him when Finnick stops me and gets him for me.

I then remember how I'm supposedly pregnant, and silently thank Finnick for saving me from the suspicious eyes of everyone watching.

Finnick tows Peeta to land, and I'm thankful as I immediately rush into Peeta's arms.

"Hey there," he kisses me, "Looks like we have allies."

"That we do, just as Haymtich wanted. I also think we are allies with Mags."

"I'll get her, seeing as she is one of the few people who actually likes me." Finnick says and dives into the water.

That's when Peeta notices my solemn face.

"What's wrong." He asks.

"Just before the platform rose and brought me into the arena, peacekeepers came in and attacked Cinna. They beat him severly, and when they dragged him out, his body was limp and leaving a blood trail. Peeta, Cinna is dead. They'll kill him, if he isn't dead already, for that dress yesterday.


	15. The Force Field

**Ok here is the new chapter. Sorry it took so long, the last few weeks of school were crazy and I was gone for a week on a school trip, so now I have to make up a lot of work and tests. I explained it in my new one shot, That One Question. Thank you for the reviews, alerts, and favorites! Please keep it up (along with reviewing on the one shot). **

**Chapter 15**

When Mags finally comes to shore, we decide that it's time to move on.

The career pack is already formed and gathering weapons. It won't be long until they come after us.

We walk for what seems like hours.

I decide to climb a rather large tree and see how far we are from the cornucopia.

I reach the top, and hear something buzzing. It must be the force field Beetee and Wiress were talking about in the training center.

I look to the cornucopia, and can just see the career's picking up weapons while still fighting off a few of the other tributes that had made it out of the water and had decided to go to the cornucopia.

I see a few bodies scattered here and there, but there aren't a ton. Most of the tributes probably didn't figure out that their belts were flotation devices, and they must have drowned.

Some may have even made it ashore, and are probably hiding or running, just like we are.

I quickly climb back down and inform the others of almost everything that I had seen.

Finnick even asks me how many are dead, and as far as I could tell from the bodies on land, at least six.

I don't say anything about the force field though, because then the Capitol would know that I knew. And Snow would not be happy. I really don't want to give them another reason to harm the ones that I love most because they think I'm defying them. Which I am, sort of.

It wasn't intentional at first, but I hate who they are and what they represent. Gale and I used to make fun of them when we went hunting together all the time.

They think they can just push us around, take everything for themselves, and leave us to die.

But that won't happen anymore, if I have any say in the matter.

I decide that I will figure out a way to use my knowledge of the force field as an advantage, but until then I plan to be quiet on the subject.

We continue to walk for a few more hours, always going to the left, and it seems like we aren't going anywhere. It all looks the same.

All of a sudden I hear the humming again, and it's getting louder the more we walk. Then, I can begin to see it, very faintly, the force field.

With Peeta walking in the front of our semi-line, straight towards it.

I'm about to scream at him to stop, but before I can get the words out, he walks straight into it.

He goes flying back and hit's a tree, hard.

Finally I'm screaming. He looks a tiny bit burnt on some parts of his body, but what's worse is that he isn't moving.

Finnick immediately goes to work trying to restart his heart, which he says has stopped, while I'm paralyzed with fear.

I was going to make sure he lived, won, and I failed in the first few hours.

Finnick immediately goes to work on trying to restart his heart, pushing on his chest and blowing air into his mouth.

I'm a tiny bit embarrassed at first because it looks like he's kissing him, but then I remember my mother and Prim doing this to injured miners who were giving up their fight to live.

I also remember that this very rarely worked, and most would be gone forever.

Mags sits next to me on the ground that I've sunk into, and holds me as I scream and cry.

Peeta can't die, he just can't.

Finnick keeps up his actions for a few minutes, and I've finally lost all hope. I think we all have.

But then Peeta coughs harshly and opens his eyes wide, gasping for air.

I crawl over to him, because standing would take to much time and effort right now.

I get to him and hug him as tight as I possibly can. And ever so slowly he wraps his weak arms lightly around me.

I kiss his cheek, because I'm worried he hasn't quite caught his breath yet, but he gently grabs my face and pulls me in for a soft kiss.

"Careful," he says weakly. "There's a fore field up ahead."

I laugh while crying, because even when he's injured, Peeta still has a way with words. A quality that I will never have.

"I'm fine Katniss, just a little shaken up is all."

"You were dead! Your heart literally stopped!" I cry out in a sob.

"It's working now. It's alright."

I can't answer because I'm making these little choking sounds as I nod my head. He doesn't believe me.

"Katniss?" He asks worridly.

"She's fine, just hormones from the baby." Finnick says.

That's right, everyone thinks I'm pregnant, I had forgotten when I had arrived in the arena.

"How are you Peeta. Can you move?" Finnick asks, And how dare he.

"He needs to rest Finnick."

I say while sniffling. Mags hands me some cloth to wipe my nose, and it works surprisingly well.

That's when I see something gold on Peeta's chest.

I reach out and retrieve the chain, with my mocking jay engraved on a disk hanging from it.

"Is this my mocking jay? Is this your token from 12?" I asked slightly confused.

"Maybe. Do you mind that we match?"

"Of course not." I say as I peck his lips lightly and help him to sit up a little bit.

I'm flattered by his token, but I'm also worried.

President Snow will never overlook this defiance.

And that's going to make my job of keeping Peeta alive much harder


	16. Turning

**Ok so I know it's been a few weeks, I'm sorry! But I am going to warn you now that I probably wont have anything up for about two weeks because even though it's a holiday weekend, I have 3 major projects due at school when I get back that I have to get done. Also read my Finchel one shot and review on it please! Thank you for the alerts, favorites, and reviews, they mean a lot to me. I don't own the Hunger Games, just my own personal ideas that are different from the books.**

"So you want to make camp here I'm guessing?" Finnick whines.

"It's not an option, we have to keep moving. We have no water or protection,and as long as we move slowly I should be fine." Peeta replies immediately.

Finnick helps Peeta to his feet so that we can keep moving.

This day hasn't exactly been a very good one for me.

I've watched Cinna be beaten so badly that he will be dead soon if he isn't already, been put into another arena, and watched Peeta die.

I'm glad that Finnick had reminded me of the pregnancy, because I had forgotten all about it. At least I have the emotional part down.

"I'll take the lead." I say while gathering up my weapons.

"No Katniss you can't. What if you run into a force field, I can't lose you and the baby." Peeta says desperately.

"Let her do it." He says then turns to me. "You knew about the force field. Right at the last second, because you went to give a warning."

All I can do is nod my head.

"How did you know?" He demands.

I don't want to give away the fact that I know Beetee and Wiress's force field recognition trick.

If everyone knew that I could, especially the gamemakers, well they might just alter it so I can't see it anymore.

And that would not be good.

"I guess I could just hear it. Listen."

Everyone falls silent and listens carefully for it.

We can hear the sound of waves hitting the shore in the distance, insects, birds, the breeze.

"I can't hear anything." Peeta says.

"It's like the fence around 12, but much quieter." They all listen again, and I can hear it, but they all just stand there listening.

They can't hear it.

"I don't hear it either, but if you can, then you should take the lead." Finnick says, and we are on our way.

That's when an idea pops into my head. "You know, I can only hear it out of my left ear. The one the doctors reconstructed after the last games."

Take that Capitol, now you can blame the doctors who fixed my ear for not having a quite as intresting game.

Mags walks with a branch in her hand for support, I never really realized how old she was.

I don't understand why she was the one who had to come back into the games, it isn't like there weren't any other female victors from 4, not like it was in my case.

Peeta is also handed a branch, which is good because even though he is trying to be tough, I can tell he is in pain and just wants to stop for awhile.

I keep the force field on my left, because I said that was the ear I could hear it out of. I can really hear it out of both, but this at least turns attention away from us for awhile while everyone else is blaming the doctors for giving me the hearing of a bat.

I cut down a branch of nuts and toss them ahead of me, just to be sure. And when they come back towards my feet, cracked and sizzling, I know that there is a force field right in front of me.

I turn to see Mags picking up these nuts and shoving them into her mouth.

"Mags those could be poisonous!"

She just mumbles at me and continues to pop them into her mouth.

Why did Finnick revive Peeta? I ask myself this suddenly. He could have let him die, and I wouldn't have blamed him, not really.

Why would he be so determined to save him, and why was he so adamant about teaming up with me?

We walk for another hour until I realize that the force field is herding us around the cornucopia.

I look back to see Mags limping and Peeta sweating.

"Let's set up camp here and rest for awhile." I say, and we do just that.

"I need to get another look." I say and climb a tree.

This one is taller than the others, and I climb higher than I would need to. But I climb higher to confirm my suspicions on why we can't go left. We never will be able to.

The arena is shaped like a perfect circle, with a perfect wheel right in the middle.

I can make out so wavy squares, chinks Beetee called them, because he said that's where the force field reveals what the gamemakers want to stay hidden.

I take an arrow and shoot it right at one of these squares, there's a spurt of light, and then I can see a flash of the real blue sky before it returns to the pink hue the gamemakers have chosen.

I climb back down and we all settle in.

We throw the nuts that I was using before to make sure we didn't run into the force field against it and they pop back to us cooked and warm.

They taste delicious, but we start to get thirsty.

The problem is that there is nothing for us to drink


	17. Mags

**Ok so, I'm really I haven't updated, but I got a job and I've be super busy!**

**I can't honestly figure out how to write this part, like I've tried 8 times and every time I delete it because I end up hating it. So would it be ok if I skipped until after she was taken out of the arena and woke up in District 13? let me know, but like I said, I'm having a terrible time writing this part, and I know where I want it to go, I just can't get to that point. Thanks to everyone! I own nothing!**

A little parachute came falling from the sky.

"Whose is it?" I said, curiously looking at the little flying object.

We decided to say that it was Peeta's, seeing as he did die for a little bit today.

It's a small metal object, and I can't really tell what it is.

We sit around trying to figure out what it could be, but none of us really can.

Haymitch is working with the District 4 mentors, meaning that it has a special meaning behind it, a life saving meaning.

It's unbelievably hot, and I'm getting frustrated trying to figure out what this little object is.

Peeta rubs a sore spot between my shoulders lovingly, and I start to think about my family.

I miss them, I miss my sister, and I remember the song I sang to her before I left.

I had told her that everything would be alright, but if we didn't find something to drink, and soon, I would break my promise to her sooner than I had planned to.

Eventually I would have to, because I was going to make sure that Peeta won, and then he and Haymitch would be her protectors.

Along with Gale.

I missed him, no matter if we fought sometimes, he was like my brother, always keeping me safe, comforting me.

I miss 12, the woods, hunting, my family, even that annoying cat of Prim's.

As I'm thinking of 12 and what Prim had said about keeping my eyes open, the name of the object suddenly comes to my mind.

"It's a spile! We can use it to tap the trees and drink their sap!"

"What?" Finnick asks confused.

I remember my father showing me this one cold, windy day a long time ago.

I cup it in my hand, knowing that Haymitch is probably wondering what took me so long to figure it out.

Usually there was sap in the tree, but earlier we had seen a type of rat, and it had a wet muzzle.

Water was in these trees, not sap.

And we could finally have something to drink.

My promise to Prim would be kept for a little longer.

We finally wedge it into the tree, and wait with bated breath, and at first nothing happens.

Then a drop of water comes creeping down the lip of the spile and lands in Mags palm.

By moving it around, we finally get a steady stream out of it.

We take turns drinking from it, quenching our thirst from the heat that was surrounding us.

Without the distraction of thirst, we all realize we are exhausted and decide to get some sleep.

Finnick offers to take the first watch, seeing as we were defiantly not going to let our guard down.

I tie the spile to my belt, making sure that if we do have to make a quick retreat, that at least we will still have a way to access water.

I lie down beside Peeta and snuggle into him, despite the fact that it's hot.

Being with him makes me feel comfortable, well as comfortable as you can be when you're fight to your death for others entertainment.

I tell Finnick to wake me when he gets tired so I could take the next shift, but instead I find myself being jarred awake a few hours later by a bell tooling.

Peeta and Mags sleep through it, but both Finnick and I are alert and look at each other.

"I counted twelve." He states.

I nod in agreement.

"What do you think it means?" I question.

"No idea."

"Well get some rest, I'll take the watch." He hesitates, until I remind him that no one can stay awake forever, and that he needs to rest if we are going to be able to fight in this thing.

I sit with my bow loaded.

About an hour later, I can hear rain coming in through the leaves, and wait for it to reach us, but it never does.

The sound of the cannon in the distance startles me, although I am the only one to notice.

Another victor dead.

The rain suddenly stops, and there is a fog that is starting to creep towards us at a steady pace.

At first I think it's natural, seeing as it just rained and it was extremely hot here, but then I realize there is something wrong with this.

It's moving too uniformly to be natural.

A sickeningly sweet odor hits me, and I begin to shout for the others to wake up.

In the few seconds it takes, I begin to get blisters.

It burns wherever the drops touch.

"Run!" I scream.

Finnick snaps awake instantly, getting up to fight whoever was here.

But it wasn't a person.

And when he realizes this, he tosses a sleeping Mags onto his back and begins running.

Peeta is awake and on his feet, but not quite alert.

I grab his arm and run through the jungle after Finnick.

"What is it?" Peta says in bewilderment.

"Some kind of fog. poison gas. Hurry!" I yell.

Even though he wouldn't admit it during the day, the effects of the force field have been significant.

He is extremely slow compared to usual , and the vines and undergrowth that unbalance me everyone in awhile trip him with every step.

I want to run, save myself, but I couldn't do that to Peeta, and besides Haymitch and I had agreed that he would be the one we tried to save.

"Watch my feet Peeta, try and do what I do." I tell him, almost begging.

Finnick is shouting encouragements at us, knowing that we can only evade the horrible mist.

Peeta trips, going flying forward towards the ground.

I catch him and then see that his whole left side of his face is limp.

I feel the spasms in my arm as I realize that the gas not only burns, but it targets our nerves.

I yank Peeta forward, more afraid than before, but both my arms are twitching, and there is something wrong with his leg.

I feel him lurch forward and realize that Finnick has come back and is hauling us along.

When we are finally about 10 yards in front of it we stop running.

"He can't keep going, I'll have to take him. Can you take Mags?" Finnick questions.

"Yes." I breathe out.

We continue moving, with me following behind Finnick who breaks the vines.

The fog keeps advancing, and I want to move away from it by instinct, but I realize that Finnick is driving us towards the water and the Cornucopia.

Water, of course.

I'm glad I didn't kill Finnick when I had the chance, how else would I have gotten Peeta out of here alive?

I begin falling, because I can only handle so much weight, and she isn't heavy but it's taking its toll on me.

I drop, not being able to get back up, and Finnick comes back.

"Can you take them both? It's no use, I will catch up with you." I tell him.

"No, my arms aren't working." He says.

What happens after that is so fast, it takes me a while to process it.

Mags hauls herself up and kisses Finnick, and then she hobbles straight into the fog.

Immediately her body starts seizing with wild contortions and she falls to the ground.

I want to scream, but my throat is burning.

I take a step towards her as I hear the cannon go off.

I know it's Mags, and I know that her heart has stopped.

She's dead.

We keep running until I realize that the fog isn't moving towards us anymore.

It has reached the end of its territory.

Either that or the Gamemakers have decided not to kill us, not yet anyways.


End file.
